There is no horizon

夜空与湖的边缘之间

between the night sky and the edge of this lake, named for its abundance

已没有地平线。这湖的名字，源于那种动物的丰盛——

of an animal that within a decade of naming

然而命名后的十年内，

was hunted extinct. I speak too much of apocalypse

它们便被猎杀至灭绝。我说得太多关于世界末日的事，

says my new love, to whom I cannot admit

我的新爱人说。可我还是不能告诉他，

the rings of Saturn

土星的光环

are disappearing. Its gravity overwhelms the tiny moons fighting

正在消失。它的引力压垮了那些微小的卫星，

to keep the bands in place. As we witness

它们奋力想把光带固定。我们从午夜的码头

the citrine body from the midnight dock,

望见那黄水晶的星体，我只对他说

I say instead how one ring wavers so precisely

其中一环的颤动是如此精准，

it makes music

几乎像一首可以谱写下来的音乐。

we could record on sheets. Doing so would reveal what lies

如若成真，我们或许能揭示

at the inner core, but there are more important endeavors.

那颗行星的内核——但还有更重要的事。

We have begun, before bed, singing silly love songs

入睡前，我们开始唱些傻气的情歌，

until guitar strings slice his fingertips and he apologizes

直到吉他弦割破他的指尖，让他惭愧于自己的柔软。

for the softness. He makes me

他为我做番茄汤和烤奶酪三明治，当我淋浴时，

tomato soup & grilled cheese while I shower and then

然后他加入进来。亲吻我的膝、我的指尖。我们在湖中浸过的

joins me. Kisses my knees, my fingertips. Every body part we dipped in the lake

每一处肌肤都在灼烧，我便解释

burns, and I explain

在土星周围，环是由冰构成的——有的细如糖粒，有的宽如房屋。

how on Saturn, the rings are made of ice—some grains as small as sugar, some as wide

那如果我们也这样呢？以爱筑屋，

as a house. And what if we do? Make a house of our love, with a garden

种一园番茄，辛辣的芝麻菜。

of tomatoes, spicy arugula. Orchards of stone fruit & an abundance

再种桃李的果园，还有繁盛的野樱桃，

of choke cherry to sustain the little herd of elk that's been reintroduced. Time

供重新放归的小群麋鹿栖息。

means nothing against efforts of love.

在爱的努力面前，时间无意义。

We still have 100 million years

我们还有一亿年

before Saturn loses its rings, but mere centuries since Galileo

才会失去那土星的光环——而伽利略用望远镜

发现那颗行星，不过才过去数百年，

first found the planet in his telescope and mistook the rings for ears.

I understand this desire, I do.

他还以为那些环是耳朵。

我理解这种欲望，我真的理解——

To hold a face between my hands and call it golden.

想将一张脸捧在掌心，把它唤作黄金。